After getting cut by the Jaguars earlier this week, veteran cornerback Darious Williams has lined up his first visit. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Williams is set to visit with the Giants on Sunday.
Williams wasn’t cut for his on-field production. The team was forced to move on from their cornerback with the Jaguars scrounging funds to retain their top free agents. Williams’ release freed up $11.5M of his $12M cap hit for 2024, making the move a no-brainer for the Jaguars.
Considering his production, Williams is expected to be a popular name in free agency. The Alabama-Birmingham product finished last season with four interceptions, 19 pass deflections, and a pair of forced fumbles while limiting QBs to a passer rating of 63.9 when he was the closest defender. Pro Football Focus was also fond of his production, ranking him 13th among 127 qualifying cornerbacks.
The former UDFA started his career with the Ravens before catching on with the Rams. He eventually became a starter in Los Angeles, parlaying that experience into a three-year, $30M contract with the Jaguars in 2022. 2024 will mark Williams’ age-31 season, so he may be hard-pressed to earn a similar number of years on his next contract. However, considering his performance from this past season, he could match (or surpass) his AAV.
As Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News points out, cornerback was one of the Giants’ top needs heading into the offseason. With Adoree’ Jackson likely on his way out of New York, the team will need a starter opposite Deonte Banks. That’s led some to speculate that the Giants could fill that hole via the draft, although it sounds like they will first look toward free agency.
Of course, cornerback isn’t necessarily the team’s first (or even second) priority. As ESPN’s Jordan Raanan writes, the Giants are willing to pay top-of-the-market value for a free agent guard, and they’re also eyeing reinforcement on the edge opposite Kayvon Thibodeaux.
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